The communications network is evolving from a circuit switching (Circuit Switching, CS for short) domain network to an IP-based packet switching (Packet Switching, PS for short) domain network. To provide carrier-class services in an IP network, a key issue is how to address the end-to-end quality of service (Quality of Service, QoS for short) problem to meet the communication quality requirements of users (especially for real-time services, such as video calls). In addition, because more types of services can be provided in IP communication networks (such as web browsing, file downloading, and video on demand), networks need to possess capabilities of charging according to different service streams.
To meet these requirements, the 3rd generation partnership project (3rd Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP for short) defines a policy and charging control (Policy and Charging Control, PCC for short) architecture, in which the PCC architecture includes a policy control and charging rules function entity (Policy Control and Charging Rules Function, PCRF for short). The function entity determines a PCC rule according to restrictions of accessing a network by subscribers, policies of carriers, subscribers subscription data, and information on services currently provided to subscribers, and sends the PCC rules to a policy and charging enforcement function entity (Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, PCEF for short), and then the PCEF executes the PCC rules. The PCC rules include a detection rule of a service data stream, whether to perform gating, QoS corresponding to a service data stream, and a stream-based charging rule (such as charging based on time, traffic, and events). The PCEF implements, by executing the PCC rules sent by the PCRF, the detection and measurement of service data streams, QoS assurance for service data streams, traffic processing on the user plane, and triggering of session management on the control plane.
In the existing PCC architecture, the PCEF and PCRF can only subscribe to location information on a single user equipment (User Equipment, UE for short). The PCRF determines the PCC rules of the UE only according to the location information and subscription information on the UE, resulting in that only services of the UE is assured, but services of other UEs in an activated state in the same cell cannot be assured, and therefore wireless resources cannot be fully utilized.